Buffer and other spring constructed with india-rubber.



A. G. SPENCER.

BUFFER AND OTHER SPRING GONSTRUGTED WITH INDIA RUBBER.

I APPLIOATION FILED MAY14, 1910. 9?1 43 15 7 Patented Sept. 27, 1910.

'1 SHEET8SHEET 1.

A. G. SPENCER.

BUFFER AND OTHER SPRING OONSTRUCTED WITH INDIA RUBBER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 14, 1910.

@ZL41 5 Patented Sept. 27, 11.910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. G. SPENCER.

BUFFER AND OTHER SPRING GONSTRUOTED WITH INDIA RUBBER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1910.

Patented Sept. 27, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 A. G. SPENCER. V BUFFER AND OTHER SPRING GONSTRUGTEDWITH INDIA RUBBER.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 14, 1910.

gjlfil 50 I Patented Sept.27,1910.

4 SHEETS$HEET 4.

f g 9 Mm 15.4% W

ALFRED GEORGE SPENCER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

BUFFER AND OTHER SPRING CONSTRUCTED WITH INDIA-RUBBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 27, 1910.

Application filed May 14, 1910. Serial No. 561,428.

' have invented Improvements in and Relating to Buffer and other SpringsConstructed with India-Rubber, of which the following is aspecification. p

This invention relates to buffer and other springs of the kindcomprising annular or ring-like india rubber bodies of circular or otherform arranged one Within the other a short distance apart and rings 'orperforated plates molded into them in such way as to connect the indiarubber bodies and to retain them the desired distance apartwhichdistance is in some cases such that when the spring is in compressionthe lateral portions of the rubber bodies bear against one another oragainst the rod, if any, passing through the spring, or against theconfining or cup ring or rings when such are used, thereby offeringrmistance but without however undue pressure being exerted against thesaid parts then in contact.

In use springs of the kind under notice generally comprise a number ofelements each consisting of two or more such india rubber bodiesarranged one within the other a short distance apart and one or moreerforated metal plates or rings molded into them,'a separating ringerplate of metal being arranged between each such spring element and theadjacent one. Employed in this manner such springs have been proved tobe most efiicient for the purpose for which they are designed and toefiectively retain their resiliency after long periods of use but it issometimes found in practice that owing to negligence or ignorance on thepart of the persons assembling the various elements, the metalseparating rings or plates or one or more of them are omitted with theresult that the rubber bodies of two adjacent spring elements are incontact and the buffing or drawing effect is not that for which thecompound spring is designed; moreover, when the compression occurs therubber bodies are damaged. In some cases in fact the rubber bodies ofone element of a pair of elements from between which a separating platehas been omitted have been completely torn off their metal holding plateafter a time and when such an event has taken place the fact ofaseparating plate being omitted is not apparent upon merely looking atthe spring and the fault may not be discovered in time to avoid theserious consequences of insufiicient cushioning.

According to this invention, a compound buffer or other spring of thetype set forth can be produced without any of the parts hemg separable.For this purpose in the new or 1 mproved method of manufacturing suchsprings, spring elements, each comprising annular or ring-like indiarubber bodies of circular or other form arranged one within the other ashort distance apart and a ring or rings or a perforated plate or platesmolded into them, are produced by partially curing or vulcanizing theindia rubber when the rings or plates are in position, in any knownmanner, a desired number of such elements are then laced together end toend with a perforated separating plate or ring or rings between eachelement and the adacent ones, and the operation of curing or vulcanizingthe india rubber is then completed so that the separating plates orrings become securely held in the india rubber. Or each of the indiarubber bodies between two adjacent metal plates of a compound other formone or some of which is or are connected to one of such holding platesand another or others ofwhich is or are connected to the other holdingplate, another annular or ring-like part or other'parts being, 1n somecases, rovided, that may be connected or not to either holding plate,the various parts of each india rubber body be ing of any desired shapein cross section but such that when assembled to constitute a completeindia rubber body, the'cross sectional area of such body will correspond15'?) that heretofore usual or necessary to suit the desired purpose forwhich the spring is to be used.

The several parts of each compound india rubber body "may merel fit oneanother, or the adjacent surfaces 0 the co-acting parts may be securedtogether by any suitable adhesive, or by a vulcanizing process.

A buffer or other spring according to this invention and which can bemanufactured several rubber bodies constituting the spring beinginseparable and arranged in such way as to form, with the holding platesor rings, spaces or chambers in the body of the spring that correspondto the spaces formed by an between the rubber bodies, the lates moldedtherein, and the separating p ates of compound springs of the kindhereinbefore re-. ferred to.

Figure 1 shows artly in central vertical section and partly in elevationa s ring according to this invention suitable or use as a bulfer or drawspring for railway vehicles. Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 showinganother construction of the improved spring suitable for a bearingspring for a railway carriage or other vehicle. Figs. 3 and 4 show incentral vertical section and in elevation respectively one-half of anelement of another spring embodying this invention. Figs. 5 and 6 aresimilar views to Figs. 3 and 4: of another element of such spring.

Fig. 7 shows a portion of the complete spring partly in centrallongitudinal vertical section and partly in elevation. Fig. 8 is asimilar view to Fig. 7 illustrating another construction of springaccording to this invention. Fig. 9 shows partly in central verticalsection a combined buliing and draw spring according to this invention.'Fig. 10

' illustrates the arrangement shown in Fig. 9

partly in plan and partly in central horizontal section. Fig. 11 is atransverse section corresponding to the line A, A of Fig. 9.

Referring to Fig. 1, a and b are cylinders of india rubber, and c and care perforated rings or plates of metal securely held in the rubber.Such a spring is adapted to be threaded on a rod (5, as shown, betweenthrust transmitting plates or abutments, not shown. The rubber of thecylinders a and 7) extends through the perforationse of the metal plates0 and c and such plates hold. the rubber cylinders the desired distanceapart. Between the rubber cylinders the p ates 0 and 0 can be formedwith other perforations f that allow air to freely pass to and from theseveral annular spaces or chambers 9 formed by and between the rubbercylinders a and b and the metal plates 0 and 0 In some cases the metalplates 0 and c or some of them can be cupped or.

formed with marginal flanges, as indicated in dotted lines at a", thatconfine the outer cylinder (1 and limit its expansion under compression.

The s ringshown in Fig. 2 comprises three cy inders of india rubber a, band it, otherwise it is constructed similarly to the spring shown inFig. 1 and corresponding arts are indicated by the same referenceetters. i i

In the construction of spring shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 india rubberpart rings m of one spring element, Figs. 3 and 4, are carried jacentspring element, Figs. 5 and, 6, the

part rings m and n of each spring element bearing against the metalcarrying plate 0 or c of the adjacent spring element. Each .india rubberpart ring m and n is ofv less radial thickness than heretofore usual insprings of thev type referred to and such that the combined radialthickness of each pair of juxtaposed india rubber part rings m and n issay about equal to that of each ring in the usual constructions ofsprings of the type referred to, or such as is necessary to suit anydesired requirement. Any suitable number of spring elements constructedas described may be simply fitted one into the other as set forth and asshown in Figs. 7 to form a compound spring of any required length. ()rthe co-acting india rubber part rings m and 11. may be secured togetheras hereinbefore set forth to form a compound spring.

In the construction of spring shown in Fig. 8 the india rubber partrings m and n nearest the outer periphery of the metal plates 0 and 0are each made of half the axial length heretofore usual and arranged toabut one against the other, and around them is placed another indiarubber ring 0 of less radial thickness than the india rubber rings m andn it embraces but the axial length of which corresponds to that of thetwo india rubber rings m n so that it extends from the metal'plate c ofone spring element to the metal plate 0 of the adjacent spring element.The embracing ring 0 may be formed of vulcanized rubber, or it may bevulcanized when in position, for which latter purpose a metal clampingring 0 made in halves connected togcther'as by bolts, can be placedaround the embracing ring 0 when in position and the latter ringdescribed in connectionwith Fig. 7. The

india rubber rings pof the end springs may be of the heretofore usualcross section and gbut against plain metal plates q as heretoore.

The india rubber ringlike or tubular bodiesof the spring shown in Figs.9, 10 and 11 are of oblong form with rounded corners,

see Fig. 11 and the complete spring is adapted to be placed betweenthrust plates 1' which with the spring are embraced by a stirrup-shapedholder 8 fixed to the inner end of a drawbar or rod that extends throughthe headstock t of a railway wagon,

known Janney type. Brackets o riveted to the longitudinal members 'w ofthe underframe form stops for the thrust plates 7', and bars :12 fixedto the brackets o constitute top and bottom guides for the spring whichis guided in a lateral direction by the members w. -The sp'ringshown inthis arrangement is manufactured by the same method as is described withreference to Fig. 1 but as will be understood a springof the form showncan if desired be constructed as here'- inbefore described withreference to Fig. 7 or to Fig. 8.

The india rubber bodies of springs according to this invention can be ofany desired cross section. As will be understood the springs shown aremerely given by wa of exam is and the number of india ru ber ringike ortubular bodies, the number of plates or rings held therein and the crosssection of the part rubber ring-like or tubular bodies, located betweenthe holding plates or rings can be other than as shown without departurefrom this invention. It will also be understood that any of the springsshown can be manufactured according to the improved method hereinbeforeset forth, that is to say, elements each comprising a plate 0 havinannular ring-like bodies of rubber on each suite of it can be first madeby partially curing the rubber with the plate in position, the desirednumber of such elements and the plates 0 bein then assembled and placedin position and t e whole secured together by completing the curing 'orvulcanizing 'operation in any suitable well known manner.

In the. claims, where referring to the india rubber bodies, the termring-like body is intended to include annular or ring-like bodies ofcircular or other form, and where referring to the holding rings orplates the term plate or plates is intended to also include ring orrings.

What I claim is 1. The hereinbefore described method of manufacturingbuder or other springs according to wh1ch spring elements, eachcomprising ring-like india rubber bodies arranged one within the other ashort distance apart and a plate molded into them, are produced bypartially curing the india rubber when the-plate is in position, in anyknown manner, a desired number of such elements being then placedtogether end to end with a perforated plate between each element and theadjacent ones, and the operation of ouring the india rubber thencompleted so that all the perforated plates become securely held in theindia rubber.

2. The hereinbefore described method of manufacturing bufler or othersprings according to WhlCh spring elements, each comprising ring-likeindia rubber bod es arranged one within the other a short dlstance endwith a perforated plate 'eration of curin apart and a metalplate moldedinto them,

are produced by partially curing the india rubber when the plate is inposition, in any known manner, a desired number of such elements beingthen placed to ether end to between each element and the adjacent ones,and the opthe india rubber then completed so that al the perforatedmetal plates become securely held in the india rubber.

3. A spring comprising holding plates and rubber bodies between two adacent plates, such rubber bodies being of ring-like form arranged onewithin the other a short distance apart and each said rubber bodycomprising ring-like parts one of which is connected to one of saidplates and another to the adjacent said plate.

4:. A spring comprising holding plates and rubber bodies between two adacent plates, such rubber bodies being of ring-like form arranged onewithin the other a short distance apart and each said rubber bodycomprising ring-like parts one of which is connected to one of saidplates, another of which is connected to the adjacent plate and anotherof which is not connected to any of said plates.

5. A spring comprising metal holding plates and rubber bodies betweentwo adjacent plates, such rubber bodies being of ring like form arrangedone within the other a short distance apart and each said rubber bodycomprising ring-like parts one of which is connected to one of saidplates and another to the adjacent said plate.

6. A sprin comprising holding plates and rubber odies between two adacent plates, such rubber bodies being of-r'ing-like form arranged onewithin the other a short distance apart and each said rubber bodycomprisin ring-like parts secured to ether one of w ich is connected toone 0 said plates and another to the adjacent said plate.

7. A spring comprising holding plates and rubber bodies between two adaCent plates, such rubber bodies being of ringlike form arranged onewithin the other a short distance apart and each said rubber bodycomprising ring-like parts secured together, one of which is connectedto one of said plates, another of which is connected to the adjacentplate and another of which is not connected to any of said plates.

8. A s ring comprising two or more tubular bo ies of rubber arranged onewithin the other a short distance a art and a number of perforatedplates he d in the rubber bodies, the several rubber bodies constitutingthe spring being inseparable and the plates being spaced apart to formair chambers between the said rubberbodies.

9. A 5 ring comprising two or more tubular bo ies of rubber arrangedone. within the other a short distance apart and a numher of perforatedmetal plates held in the rubber bodies, the several rubber bodiesconstituting the spring being inseparable and the plates being spacedapart to form air chambers between the said rubber bodies.

10. A spring comprising a number of tubular bodles of rubber arrangedone within the other a short distance apart, and perforated metal platesmolded into said. rubber bodies, some of the perforations of said platesbeing located in those portions of the, plates located between therubber bodies.

11. A spring arrangement comprising a number of sprlng elements eachconsistmg of a number of ring-like bodies of oblong 15 form with roundedcorners arranged one Within the other a short distance apart and aperforated metal plate molded into them plates also of oblong form withrounded corners arranged between each said element 20 and the adjacentone, and a holder for said spring elements. Signed at London, England,this third day of May 1910.

ALFRED GEORGE SPENCER.

Witnesses: e

' RICHARD T. Gmsoonmn,

HERBERT D. JAMEBON.

